Internal Prisoner
by Aaronna
Summary: Gaius was conscious the entire time he was possessed by the goblin and what it did to Merlin would haunt him for a very long time. Goblin's Gold. Disclaimer: I do not own Merlin


AN: I felt bad for not updating any of my stories on this site, so I thought I would share this. I wrote it for a friend of mine and she even Betaed it! My first story to have a Beta!  
Anyway, I hope you guys like it.

When he and Merlin lured the goblin into the storage room, Gaius never thought this would happen. The moment the glowing mote that was the goblin entered his ear it was like he was being ripped from his body and thrown into a small corner of his mind. He fought it as best he could, but with a painful jolt he lost control of his body to the creature.

"Gaius, did you see where it went?"

His stomach would have dropped if he was still in control of his body, but he wasn't. And Merlin didn't even know anything had happened. Panic rose in him as he thought of all the vile things the imp could do to his ward and make the boy think his mentor hated him.

"You let it escape you stupid boy! Now you just stand there like a sack of potatoes. Go after it! Go! Shoo! Shoo!"

Gaius mentally gave a sigh of relief. The relief was tainted as Merlin gave him a hurt look and left. Much to Gaius's disgust, the goblin began picking up gold from the chest and licking it. Oddly the old physician could taste the grime and dirt on the metallic surface. Gaius thought about it for a moment before noticing that he could still reach all five of his senses, he just didn't have power over his actions.

No sooner had the goblin possessed Gaius get back to his chambers before it forced him to toss objects from the shelves, likely in the search for more gold. This continued for half an hour before Merlin showed up. He didn't notice the mess or see 'Gaius' making it when he first walked in, but the goblin stopped when the boy began talking.

"I've searched the entire palace. There's no sign of the goblin any...what happened?"

All Gaius wanted to do was roll his eyes and slap the lad upside the head. Clearly it was the goblin! It was truly hard to believe at times that the boy was as smart and powerful as he really was when he said stupid questions like that. The goblin seemed to pick up on the old man's frustration as it spoke.

"It's that pesky goblin! You let it escape and it's ransacked my premises! You've got some cleaning up to do. Clean! Clean!"

Gaius was relieved that the goblin only yelled at Merlin and told him to clean up the mess it had made. He knew the creature could wreak unimaginable pain and trouble on the boy, but it clearly had other things on its mind. The thing would have ignored Merlin, but he had to speak up and draw its attention.

"Where you going?"

Internally, Gaius was bemoaning his ward's stupidity and cluelessness. Surely the boy could see something was off. He wasn't usually like this to the boy, was he? He would have dwelled on that thought more if the goblin hadn't said what it did.

"I'm going to the tavern."

Gaius was dumbfounded by the simple statement. He wasn't the only one as Merlin's voice sounded just as surprised as he felt.

"You never go to the tavern."

Gaius waited in anticipation to see how the goblin would react to Merlin's comment, but when he heard the goblin's reply, he felt even more sorry for himself than he had so far.

"Then I shall see what I've been missing."

Poor Gaius could smell the tavern long before it came in sight. The stink of stale ale, unwashed bodies, and vomit were nearly palatable, but the goblin only seemed to get more excited as the stench got they entered the tavern Gaius heard a group of folks, just before the goblin turned to see them cheering over an arm wrestling match. As the winner took the gold from the table, the creature licked Gaius's lips. When the goblin placed the gold coins on the table in front of the winner, Gaius nearly panicked. Surely the beast wouldn't be able to keep his old joints from being damaged from this activity, could it?

"Shall we arm wrestle, or do you require a moment to recover what little strength you have?"

The old physician winced at the annoying and taunting tone the magical nuisance used, but the man didn't seem to notice and smiled, likely thinking this would be quick coins. The man's face when he lost so easily would have been amusing if Gaius hadn't been so shocked that his body had pulled that off. He was quickly pulled back to what was happening when he tasted the nasty flavor of a grimy piece of gold against his tongue.

That night he tasted every type of alcohol the Rising Sun had to offer. Ales, wines, drinks he had never heard of, and a strong irish brew called poteen. It was the last one that got the goblin to stop for the night. With the amount his body had consumed, he was surprised he was still alive, let alone being able to walk home.

He sent silent prayers for Merlin to not be waiting up for him. He felt bad for what Merlin had been willing to do, thinking everything was normal between them. It saddened the physician. He would have cried at the sight of his chambers being cleaner than they had been in years, all because his ward thought his guardian was upset with him. That was the last thing he thought about before he fell asleep.

Gaius woke to his body already moving, albeit drunkenly, and the first thing he heard was Merlin saying something about badger armpits? Surely not. But this was Merlin after all...

"Make yourself useful. Go to the market and fetch my breakfast. Away! Go!"

Gaius winced at the volume of his own voice and the thought of Merlin getting in trouble with Arthur because he was busy doing what ever the goblin wanted.

He really needed to find a way out of this. The old man internally gave a sigh of relief when the boy left. Now that he didn't have to worry about Merlin, he could try to find out how to get control back from the creature and then make a potion for the splitting headache he had. As the thing got out the chest, Gaius decided there was no better time to try to regain control of himself than now. Just as he was about to make the attempt, Morgana entered the room.

"Gaius?"

She sounded so normal that Gaius felt wrong just listening to her, but maybe it was the drink still affecting him. But he really couldn't have the goblin harming her. Uther would have his- no their- head. 'Interesting.' The word rang through his head startling him.

"Yes, yes. What is it?"

His own voice temporarily distracted himself from the one that seemed to have only been inside his head. Despite the ringing sound of his own blood circulating past his ear, he focused on Morgana's words.

"I couldn't sleep last night. My healing bracelet's been stolen."

Gaius was sceptical that the goblin was completely innocent and didn't know what had happened, especially when he heard a chuckle ring through his head, making it feel very cramped.

"Oh, tragedy. Travesty. Whoever stole it should be hanged, flogged, and hanged again."

Gaius thought it odd that Morgana didn't even seem to be bothered by the fact that she was being mocked by the goblin controlling him. He had noticed, and his head felt like it was about to crack open. What all was in those drinks?

"I was hoping you could give me a sleeping draught?"

Surely by now she knew those things didn't really work on her 'nightmares'. Morgause would have explained this to her, certainly. She had to be up to something. But he needed to be free to find out her plan.

"A sleeping draught? Can't you count sheep like everyone else? Why are you bothering me with such things? Shoo!"

For the first time since her return, Gaius saw what he knew was a genuine look of confusion. Maybe she truly was here just for the potion. Did Morgause really not teach Morgana about her dreams? He should have told her earlier. Maybe things would have been different.

"I don't know why you're being like this, Gaius. I'm the King's ward, and you shall do as I ask."

Gaius wished he could have rolled his eyes. She finally showed part of the real her only to play the 'I am the King's Ward' and act completely unlike her old self. Did she not notice how obvious she was being? How had he felt sorry for her?

"Ooooh, shall I now?"

The goblin walked closer to Morgana and looked into her eyes. As Gaius tensed in anticipation, he heard that voice again. 'Well well well, that's a surprise. What's the harm in a little fun?'

"I can see deep into your heart, and it's cold. Cold as stone. You play at being Uther's loving ward. You play it so well you fool him, but you don't fool me. You would see Uther dead and Camelot destroyed."

At Morgana's disconcerted look, a chuckle sounded. There was no denying it now. That voice and those laughs were that of the goblin.

"Why would you say such a thing?"

Why indeed. Could it really sense that, not even really knowing her? 'I can hear you, you know. Such interesting thoughts.'

"Because it's the truth. There is evil in your heart."

'Don't -' a piercing pain went through his being when he tried to push his consciousness forward to warn against revealing anything, but the goblin just increased the pain. As he shrank back, the pain lessened and then dissipated.

"I don't know what's come over you. You were always such a good friend to me."

He had lied to her, kept the fact she had a sister hidden, and drugged her needlessly. They had never really been friends. Her fake smile clearly meant she knew it was a lie as well.

"I see the truth frightens you."

Her eyes were fascinating to watch. They first hardened with hints of worry and confusion. Then they seemed to water as she acknowledge her fear.

"It's you that frightens me."

Gaius was not surprised when Morgana began walking towards the door. It was clear she just wanted to get away from him. He felt a small amount pity for her, but it was Merlin he was truly worried about, not her.

"Do you not want your sleeping draught after all, Lady Morgana?"

She stopped and turned to look at him with true fear in her eyes. There was very little chance she would be willing to drink it. In fact, she was likely to have nightmares about him to night.

"One moment."

He was shocked when the goblin used his own magic to create the potion. He could hardly summon his latent power, and here the goblin pulled it up without even an incantation. Gaius could feel the sass in his walk, almost a swagger, back over to the lady. Her hesitation to take the draught from his hand seemed to no longer be due to fear, but frustrated anger.

"Sweet dreams. Do come back and see me anytime."

The goblin chuckled in his mind when Morgana took the potion and marched out with a scowl. She very nearly slammed the door shut behind her. She wouldn't tell anyone about this; she was too proud for that.

Once the door was closed, the goblin physically showed its amusement before heading back to the chest. After three steps, it stopped and looked down in confusion at an odd sensation coming from the physician's body.

'What is going on? What is this?'

The physician was confused for a moment before noticing how full his bladder was.

'You drank so much last night that it now needs to come out. There is a bucket for that under the bed.'

Instead of heading towards the sleeping area, a smile formed on his face, and his body headed towards the casement. It took the old man longer than it should have to understand what the goblin was up to. When it opened the shutters on the window, Gaius sent up a silent prayer that no one saw what was about to happen.

Gaius hated how badly the goblin was treating his patients. Rose and Tom were only the first victims of the goblins need for more gold. Poor Gwen though. The old man knew how hard the girl worked to gain the money she had, and now she lost it simply because a magical creature wanted more gold to lick.

Today alone the goblin had used him to swindle dozens of coins from those in the lower town. It had also gotten a few courtiers to pay a good deal to ward off warts and boils. The beast conned people out of their hard earned money by day and drank men under the table by night. It barely slept and only ate when his body protested the lack of nourishment.

Every time he tried to stop the thing, he was subjected to intense pain, but he wasn't about to let it stop him. Despite all the issues of being possessed by a magical prankster, there were a few perks. Well, at least one and that was the way the goblin handled Uther's baldness

"You're sure this treatment will work, Gaius?"

If he had suggested something like this back when he first found out about the King's hair loss, he would have been told to find another way, but now it had been a few days, and Uther was getting desperate.

"I'm quite certain of it, My Lord."

Gaius couldn't help but chuckle along with the goblin as it smacked the smooth scalp of the king. There had been many times during the last twenty or so years that the physician wished he could have cuffed this man upside the head, but couldn't. Now the only reason he wasn't completely enjoying himself was that he was still trapped inside his own body.

"Is it really necessary to slap my head like that?"

Necessary? No. Pleasurable? Most assuredly.

"Completely and utterly necessary. We must restore the circulation to the scalp. You wish your hair to grow back, My Lord?"

Theoretically, this was plausible. The science was sound, just unproven. And the best part was, Uther was letting it happen.

"Get on with it, then."

Both the goblin and Gaius smiled as the clouting continued.

Gaius had given up fighting the creature; it was just too painful and seemed to do very little. He had managed to hide his thoughts from the goblin, but even that was painful, just not quite as bad. Other than when he was 'curing' Uther, he had been fighting the creature incessantly. Now, he was having to just sit and recover his mental strength while it licked the coins in the chest. Half of the coins were nearly clean from how many times they had been polished with his tongue.

"You're the goblin!"

Gaius's heart dropped. No! This couldn't be happening! Not now! 'I am too weak to fight it now! Oh my boy…'

"Have you lost your mind?"

Gaius knew what was coming. The thing could hardly let Merlin tell anyone what he had found out. Things were only going to get worse from here.

"No, but you have! Or at least it's been taken over."

'No no no no! Merlin!'

"Don't be ridiculous."

Gaius knew his ward, and this was not going well. 'Oh Merlin, please! Don't threaten it! Please!'

"I know Gaius as well as I know myself, and you are not him!"

'You sodding idiot! Don't provoke it! It is very powerful!"

"Ah, you've got me. How d'you like my new body? It's a bit old and creaky, but it's ever so much fun."

At the sight of Merlin's rising anger, Gaius knew his boy had taken leave of his senses. He didn't look like the servant, right now he was the warlock prophesied of old.

"It's not your body, it's Gaius's. What've you done with him?"

Gaius could hear the internal laughter of the gobin echoing loudly in his head.

"He's still in here somewhere."

'No need to let him know you are seeing this. Why spoil the fun?' Those words lessened his panic. If the goblin found Merlin amusing, it was less likely to harm the boy. Right?

"Gaius has done you no harm. Leave him."

Gaius nearly scoffed at the boy's innocence, but the sight of his ward's sad teary eyes stopped him. The goblin had just what it wanted. It had control of a member of the court, quite a bit of gold, and could do as it wished. It wouldn't give up all of that quite so easily. Luckily, it didn't see Merlin as a threat. Yet.

"All right. You've convinced me. On second thought, I think I'll stay where I am. I like it in here. The freedom, the gold, the beer. Did I mention the gold?"

'You're having fun, aren't you? You blasted beast." The cackle that rang through his head was clear confirmation.

"If you hurt Gaius…"

Gaius tried to pull the goblin's attention away from his boy, but it continued to stare keenly into Merlin's damp eyes.

"I will kill you."

'Why Merlin? Why did you have to threaten it? All three of us know there was no way you would carry out that threat, so why say it?' Gaius pushed at the boundaries the goblin had bound him in in hopes that it would have mercy on the boy.

"You'll be killing him. You see the problem? I'm him, he's me. We're all jumbled up in here."

As the goblin patted Merlin's face and started to walk out, the goblin finally turned its attention inward to its prisoner. 'I see you don't care about how much I hurt you, so how about if I hurt him, hmm?'

Gaius had never retreated so fast in his life. He was now leverage against Merlin, and Merlin was leverage against him. If either of them did anything, both would pay in one way or another.

'Good choice. How about we give the king another treatment session?' It cackled.

Tormenting Uther no longer held any appeal to the physician. All he could think about was that sad look in his boy's eyes as he begged for his guardian's freedom.

Gaius hadn't offered even the slightest resistance against the goblin since Merlin discovered the truth. He sat back as the creature slapped the king's head until it turned bright pink. He even stayed quiet as it swindled person after person out of their money, and when the council meeting started, he was still very withdrawn.

"There have been instances of vandalism around the palace, as well as a number of thefts. I, myself, was a victim. Unfortunately, the thief managed to elude me."

'That wasn't me, was that your little rat's doing?' Gaius didn't even acknowledge the thing had spoken to him. 'Oh well, I have a feeling it was. I think I will have some fun with him. I know just the thing!"

Gaius focused on what was happening when he felt his magic flare. Right after that, Gwen farted, which caused the entire court to stare at her. When Morgana followed her maid's lead, the physician internally sighed at the childishness of his captor.

"Double the guard. I want the perpetrator found."

When Uther farted, Gaius could feel Merlin's eyes on him. The goblin must have felt it too, since it tuned to smile at the boy. Merlin's face was full of various emotions, which were barely concealed from the entire court.

"Yes, My Lord."

As Uther tried to hold in his wind, Gaius was barely keeping himself from telling the goblin off. It was only Merlin's presence that kept him quiet.

"The council is dismissed!"

Gaius had to tune out everyone's reactions as the flatulence continued. If he saw any of it, he doubted he could hold his tongue.

"Now!"

Poor Gwen fled the room, while Morgana took a side route which allowed her to be one of the first out. Merlin hesitated, but he ended up leaving after everyone who had rushed out of the chamber. Only Uther, Gaius, and Arthur remained.

"Gaius, is there anything you can do to treat this?"

Gaius didn't even pay attention to the treatments the creature put the king through; he was just concerned about what his ward was going to do about this. It was clear by Merlin's reluctance to leave that he was planning on confronting the goblin. He just prayed that the boy survived it.

As the goblin finally returned them back to his chambers, Gaius simply hoped that Merlin wasn't home when they arrived. His wish was dashed when the door opened to show him his ward standing there with his arms crossed. As the old physician internally frowned, a massive grin was forced on his face by his magical captor.

"Tell me you didn't think that was funny."

The old man knew what Merlin was thinking when he saw the stone-faced glare.

"Not even a little bit? Just a teeny-weeny bit?"

Merlin was both angry and worried. It was clearly visible on his face.

"If you carry on like this, you're going to get Gaius killed."

'If I die, it dies with me. Think this through Merlin!' Gaius didn't mean to say that, but it slipped out. The goblin chuckled menacingly in his mind.

"Merlin, you underestimate me. I have cured Uther of his farting and his baldness. He is, he tells me, forever in my debt. I am a genius."

'Wasn't that fun, oh flesh sack of mine? I know you enjoyed it.' Gaius felt disgusted at himself for ever getting amusement from the creature's actions.

"This has to stop."

Gaius hoped the boy had made a plan before confronting the goblin, but this was Merlin, so that was highly unlikely.

"I see no reason why. Now, if you're quite finished, I'm going to the tavern."

Gaius let himself relax for a moment before he heard the low voice of his ward chanting.

"Bord, wiþ stende hine."

'Door, stand against him' Gaius internally translated to himself as Merlin's spell shut the door so the goblin couldn't leave. This was also the moment he fought like never before, knowing that nothing good could come of Merlin stupidly exposing his magic to the malicious, mischievous creature.

"Well, well, well. So you have a secret of your own, Merlin."

The pain was unlike that previously. It was how he always imagined being burnt at the stake would feel, but he fought harder.

"Leave his body, or you will regret it."

Gaius loved his idiot nephew for being brave enough to confront the creature on his behalf, but he wished the boy would learn when to shut his mouth. The only thing that kept him from crumpling under the pain was the feeling that the goblin's hold was weakening quickly.

"Your magic may be powerful, but I have an advantage."

'You won't be fast enough to save him old man!' the goblin growled as it wrestled to remain in control.

"What's that?"

Gaius regained control of the lower half of his body and was nearly free of the magical trickster, he just needed. a little. bit. more...

"I can hurt you…"

'NOOOOOOO!' he screamed as the goblin used their combined magics to throw one of his daggers at Merlin.

"Culter, ic þe hate!"

As Merlin's spell stopped the dagger, Gaius gained complete control, but his energy was gone, and he knew his hold wasn't going to last. When Merlin sent the knife back, Gaius was glad; he was glad his ward had finally realised how to stop the goblin and save himself from being exposed as a sorcerer. His heart fell when the blade stopped just before it reached his face. At that moment, he lost himself to the pain, and the goblin regained control. As his consciousness faded, he barely heard the creature say,

"Whereas, you cannot hurt me without hurting Gaius."

That was the last thing he knew before the darkness and pain consumed him.

Gaius briefly woke twice, but the words he heard quickly drained what little energy and will to struggle he had. Those two moments were,

"You've been found guilty of using magic and enchantments. In accordance with our laws, you will pay with your life. Take him away!"

Said by Uther himself, and then later on, Arthur's saying,

"And when we catch him, you'll see him hang."

And his own responding,

"Ah, I shall look forward to that."

Gaius was glad to hear his boy had escaped, but he feared that wouldn't last long as the pain again ripped him from consciousness.

Gaius woke as the goblin took out the chest and began licking the gold couldn't help but notice that the amount had grown greatly since the last time he had seen it. He could immediately taste the poison on the gold, and after a moment, he felt his body begin shutting down. As the confused goblin started to stumble, Merlin exited his small chamber with the octagonal box that the goblin had been trapped in before.

"You've poisoned me. You poisoned Gaius!"

Inside, the old man was smiling. Merlin was safe, and the goblin was losing all of its control on his dying body. His boy finally did what he had to.

"Leave his body while you still can!"

'No! Let it die with me!' The physician cried as the goblin exited his ear as a little ball of light and buzzed around the room. Gaius felt himself fall to the floor, free of the creature, but dying.

"Give him the antidote!"

As Gwen rushed towards him, Gaius hazily noticed the maid. He attempted to smile, but the poison was quickly decimating his systems. His vision failed as she gave a shriek, and the last thing heard before passing out was the clinking of glass against glass.

Gaius felt the pain subsiding, and his energy slowly beginning to return. He carefully began struggling back into the waking world as Merlin panicking voice sounded beside him.

"No. Gaius! Come on! Please! Come on, you stubborn old goat!"

After all he had been through, Merlin had the nerve to call him that!? Shame on the boy!

"Who are you calling an old goat?"

Merlin grinned and a moment later burst into tears as he wrapped his arms around his guardian. Gwen stepped back and watched with knowing eyes. Gaius hugged his boy back, but his body was still weak from his neglect from the goblin and the poison, so his grip was barely noticeable.

"Merlin? Why don't you help Gaius to his bed. That potion did nearly kill him."

The old man doubted the maid had meant to, but her words made Merlin flinch and crawl away from the him. Tears were still running down his face, but now instead of tears of joy, they were of regret, pain, and fear.

"Merlin my boy. You did what you had to. I will be alright."

Merlin wiped his eyes and hid his feelings before helping Gwen move the physician to his bed. After he was comfortably settled, he heard the boy ask the girl to stay with him. The maid asked where he was going, but Merlin brushed the question aside by saying that he was still wanted for treason.

The old physician fell asleep moments after the door closed behind the warlock.

It took most of the day after clearing Merlin of the charges to apologize to everyone he knew he had wronged. When the news got out, others came to let him know they held no grudge. Once people realized he remember some of what happened, Gwen and Leon where two of the ones he felt were pitying him. Morgana seemed worried about what he might have remembered, which amused the old man despite himself.

At the end of the day, he joined his charge at the training ground to watch the knights train.

"I see you've been busy undoing the goblin's magic."

None of the goblin's spells had faded on their own since the creature remained alive, so it had been up to Merlin to clean up the mess he had been the cause of.

"As usual, I get no thanks whatsoever."

Gaius understood where the boy was coming from, but felt he needed to point out,

"Since releasing the goblin was entirely your fault, Merlin, I'm not sure you deserve any thanks."

Merlin's mock hurt expression was nearly comical.

"Wha...Arthur doesn't know that."

Those words reminded the physician of the moment the goblin learned of his nephew's powers. The worry and fear for the boy was not something he wished to live through again.

"For your sake, you better hope it stays that way."

As they watched, Arthur knocked over the knight that he had been fighting and laughed. The onlooking knights laughed with him. It was then that Arthur's laugh became a bray. The other knights stopped laughing, but grinned silently as Arthur cleared his throat.

"Merlin."

Gaius could barely force himself to reprimand the boy.

"Just one more day. It's too good."

.

They both smiled as the prince brayed yet again.


End file.
